1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for processing silver halide color photographic photosensitive materials and in particular to a method for processing silver halide color photographic materials, which provides a high quality image, even if the image is obtained by subjecting the materials to the processing in which the amount of washing water is substantially saved.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, it has been proposed to reduce the amount of washing water used in water washing and other processes for processing silver halide photographic photosensitive materials, in view of environmental protection, exhaustion of water resources and enhanced economy. For example, one of the techniques for reducing the amount of washing water is proposed by S. R. Goldwasser in his article entitled "Water Flow Rates in Immersion-Washing of Motion Picture Film", Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, 1955, Vol. 64, pp. 248-253 in which the saving of an amount of washing water is achieved by employing a multistage washing system including the use of a plurality of washing tanks and countercurrently passing water therethrough. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,324 discloses another method comprising directly transferring bleached and fixed photosensitive materials to stabilization process without substantially passing them through a washing process to save the amount of washing water. These methods have been adopted in different kinds of automatic processors as an effective tool for water-saving.
However, the substantial saving of washing water without implementing any other means leads to an increase in the amount of components of a processing liquid which remain in the color photosensitive materials processed. This entrains various kinds of problems such as the discoloration of color images, the increase in stain, the oozing out, to the surface of the photosensitive materials, of high-boiling point organic solvents included in the materials (hereunder referred to as "sweating out phenomenon"), which greatly impairs the image stability. In addition to the aforementioned problems, there is another problem that the turbidity of a water washing bath or a stabilization bath is increased due to the proliferation of various bacteria and/or mold. These problems associated with these water-saving methods are increased as the water washing time is reduced. Therefore, the simultaneous achievement of the requirements, i.e., the reduction of water washing time and the water-saving, in this field has been considered difficult.
As a means of solving the foregoing problems, S. R. Goldwasser has proposed, in his article, a method in which the photosensitive materials are countercurrently washed in a system employing more increased number of washing baths. However, the number of water washing baths is limited to 2 to 4 do to the limited area to be assigned to such equipments and the processing cost. Therefore, the desired water-saving has not yet been achieved established.
As another method for e1iminating the foregoing drawbacks, Japanese Patent Un-examined Published Application (hereinafter referred to as "J.P. KOKAI") No. 62-92947 proposes the addition of a sodium or potassium salt of a chelating agent to the washing water for the purpose of preventing the occurrence of the discoloration. This method is surely effective for that purpose, however, a large excess thereof should be added thereto in order to prevent the discoloration while substantially saving the amount of water. But, this inversely affects the photosensitive materials and results in the formation of drying marks and makes the photosensitive layer sticky. Further, J.P. KOKAI No. 59-184345 discloses a stabilization bath to which an ammonium compound is added. The effect attained by this method is insufficient and a remarkable discoloration of cyan dyes is probably caused dependent upon conditions. In addition, J.P. KOKAI No. 61-43741 discloses a stabilization liquid having a controlled surface tension, however, the effect thereof has not clearly been recognized. Moreover, there has not yet been established a means for solving the problem of the foregoing sweating out phenomenon.
As discussed above in detail, there has not yet been established a practical means for eliminating the foregoing drawbacks such as the discoloration of dyes, the occurrence of stains and the sweating out phenomenon associated with the water saving in processing of the color photographic materials. Therefore, there has been a strong demand for the development of a new technique therefor.